Search our archive for Bibles, autograph albums, IDed photos, documents, correspondence, and other treasures from the past that may relate to your family or area. This project is ongoing, so please visit often.

Many items are available for purchase.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

1880s Autograph Album of George Everett Zeh of Hogan, Indiana

1880s autograph album of a young man identified on the cover, shown above, as Everett Zeh, who lived at Hogan, Indiana.

The album is a small one, approximately 4-1/4" x 2-1/2" and contains many pages of writing, but I can decipher names on only 36 of them. An alphabetical list of the signers appears at the end of this post.From online research, hopefully correct: [corrections and additions welcome!]George Everett Zeh was born 8 July 1871 in Dearborn County, Indiana, the son of John and Harriett Ann (Powell) Zeh, who were born in Bavaria and in Indiana, respectively.Everett's mother Harriet was the first person to sign a page in his album, on 25 December 1883; perhaps the album was her Christmas present to him.

Everett's two older sisters, Olive Ann Zeh and Louella T. "Ella" Zeh, signed pages in his album on that same Christmas Day.

Everett's aunt and two cousins and possibly others signed pages in his album. Those who expressed a relationship to Everett on their page were Aunt C. S. C. of Ouray, Colorado, and cousins Lucy of North Vernon, Indiana, and Emma Holtegel who signed at Dillsboro, Indiana.On 30 November 1901 in Hamilton County, Ohio, Everett married Bertha Lucretia Chisman, daughter of James Ross Chisman and Nancy Jane (Huffman) Chisman. Bertha was born 3 January 1882 in Dearborn County, Indiana.Bertha signed a page in Everett's album on 31 January 1902, after their marriage.

By the time of the 1920 Census, Everett and Bertha and four children were living at Aurora, Indiana. Everett was working at a Wheel Works plant. They had five children in all, a son and four daughters.An especially meaningful page was signed by their granddaughter Bertha Mae Colen in 1931. Her parents were Florence Louella (Zeh) Colen and husband Edward Colen.

Everett died in 1928.If you have corrections and/or additions to the information above, or information on any of the signers listed below, please leave a comment or contact me directly. Thanks!

Jennie

Floyd, signed on 29 February 1884

James, signed in 1884; can't read surname

C. A. Z., signed 24 February 1884; presumably Zeh?

C. S. C. of Ouray, Colorado; Everett's aunt

Eugene B., signed on 29 February 1884

Anna, signed at North Vernon, Indiana

Lucy of North Vernon, Indiana, signed on 27 June 1885; Everett's cousin

W. E. M., signed on 30 January 1885

H. L.

T. L. W., signed at Mount Tabor

Nettie C. Boardman, signed at Aurora, Indiana, on 7 January 1884

L. B. Clements

Bertha Mae Colen, signed in 1931. She was the granddaughter of George Everett Zeh and his wife Bertha (Crisman) Zeh through their daughter Florence Louella, who married Edward Colen.

May Gullett [?], signed on 15 February 1885

Emma Holtegel, signed at Dillsboro, Indiana; Everett's cousin

Anna Hoppmire, signed 22 February 1884

John Ickenroth, signed on 31 March [no year given]; Everett's schoolmate

G. B. Jackson, signed at Aurora, Indiana

Eddie Kerr, signed on 27 March 1886; Everett's schoolmate

Lizzie Kerr; Everett's schoolmate

Arthur Kilner, signed at Aurora, Indiana, signed on 29 February 1884

J. A. Miller, signed on 31 January 1885

Minnie May Record, signed on 30 January 1885

J. F. Record, signed on 31 January 1885

Minnie Record of Aurora, Indiana, signed on 26 February 1884; not sure of the name

Nora H. Sellers

Mr. Thomas Shoup, signed on 9 January 1884

M. A. T., signed in 1884; a portion of the page is torn out, as if a Victorian scrap had been pasted there and was subsequently removed.

Mary Warner of Wilmington, Indiana, signed on "1-7-84". Middle initial could be L or S

Willie Withered

George Everett Zeh, album owner. He wrote his name as Everett Zeh on the album cover